Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 08 January 2026 [Draft]
08 Jan 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Portfolio Question Time
Schools (Damage and Repair Costs)
Education and Skills
For more than two years, more than half of St Kentigern’s academy in Blackburn has been shut after deteriorating reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete rendered the building unsafe. More than 1,100 students have been crammed into half a school. West Lothian Council needs £15 million from the Scottish Government to complete the repairs and reopen the school. Will the cabinet secretary agree to reconsider its request, to ensure that children in Blackburn get the best out of St Kentigern’s without the council needing to borrow the money?
In the same item of business
1. Douglas Lumsden (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to manage and reduce damage and repair costs in schools. (S6O-05347)
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills (Jenny Gilruth)
SNP
Local authorities are responsible for the management of their school estate, including managing damage and repair. Although it is the statutory responsibilit...
Douglas Lumsden
Con
In the past five years, Aberdeen City Council has spent more than £1.2 million on repairing vandalism in schools, with annual costs more than doubling during...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
Mr Lumsden’s question has been informed by freedom of information data that has been gleaned by the Scottish Conservatives. If they are able to share that in...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
It was my forlorn hope that the Tories might have made a resolution to stop talking Scotland down in 2026. Does the cabinet secretary share my concern that t...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
It is important that members from across the chamber do not seek to demonise the next generation of children and young people, who are the generation that li...
Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Ind)
Ind
For more than two years, more than half of St Kentigern’s academy in Blackburn has been shut after deteriorating reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete rende...
Jenny Gilruth
SNP
I have visited the school in question and seen the fantastic work that West Lothian Council is leading in response to the huge challenges facing its school e...